Clamp for preserving-jar covers



Aug. 18, 1925.

A4 M. ALDRICH CLAMP FOR PRESERVING JAR COVERS Filed Jan. 24. 1925 Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ARTHUR ALDRICH, 0F XVATERVLIET,

NEW YORK1 ASSIGNR TO VACUUM SEAL COMPANY. INC.. 0F NEW YORK. N. Y. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

CLAMP EUR PRESERVING TAR COVERS.

Application filed January 24. 1925.

To m71 idiom .ff may concern.'

Be it known that I. ARTHUR M. Annalen. a citizen ot the United States. residing' at VVatervliet. in the county ot' Albany and State of New York. have invented new and useful improvements in Clamps tor Prese-fing-.lar Covers. ot which the tolloivingy is a si'iecilication.

This invention relates to a preserving jar usually ot L"lass. having' a comprcssibla rubA ber gasket surrounding its n'ioutli. and a cover. also usually of glass. adapted to lze seated on the gasket.

In particular. the invention relates to a vacuum jar. the eover ot which is adapted to be confined on the gasket hy atmospheric pressure. Caused by exhaustion ot air troni the by an air pump. when the cover is located over the gasli'et. the cover being pressed by the atmosphere against` the gasket when a sutiicient vacuum is produced in the jar. The invention is not liniiied. however. to use with a sii-called vae` uum jar. and may be used with any jar hav ing a compressible gasket. on which a cover is seated.

The object ot the invention is to provide a simply and effective cover clamp` adapted to secure the cover in place by nierhanical pressure. so that when :applied to a vacuum jar. sealed by atmospherir pressnre. liability of unsealing by a release oi the vaciinm is: prevented.

Ot the accompanyingr drawings Ytoi-mine; a part of this speeilication.-

Figures 1 and 2 are side views. showing a portion ot a jar. its cover. and a clamp enibodying the invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line B ot Figure 1.

Figures 4. 5 and G show separately the parts hereinafter Called the holder. the slide and the lever.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

12 designates the jar. 13 the cover. and llthe rubber gasket interposed between the eover and a` seat 15. surroundingr the month ot the jar. these parts being of any suitable form and construction. The jar is provided. as heretofore. with a downwardly facing peripheral shoulder lo. below its mouth.

My improved Clamp eon'iprises a Wire ring 1T. adapted to encircle the jar below the shoulder 1G, the ring being oon- Serial No. 4,558.

fined against upward movement by the shoulder. a pair ot' holders 18. edele of whieh is W'cl'erlihlj.Y a (lat sided metal plate. and includes a hinge socket member 19. n- ;fagfed with the ringr 1:". which constitutes a hinge pintle member. the holder beine adapted to swing toward and from the periphery ot the jar. Each holder 18 iniludcs also a cam abutment 20. on the swingingr end. a longitudinal slot :21. between the hinge member and the abiitnient. and a pair o'lI slide `guides Q2 at opposite edges ol' the holder. The holders 18 are hinged to diametrically opposite portions of the rinpr 17.

The clamp also comprises a pair of slides 23. movable on the holders 18. between the raides Q2. and provided with hooks 24. adapted to bear on diametrieally opposite portions ot' the cover 13. and with headed stads extending' through. and movable in the slots Q1.

Finally the clamp comprises a pair ot levers including cams 26. havingr oritices 27. receiving the holder studs E25. and lever arms 28. projectini.r trom the eains. The perimeters of the "anis are ercentrie to the orifices QT. so that the rams are eeeentrically mounted on the studs. their perimeters bearing.r on the abutments 20.

The arrangement is siieli that when the lever arms 2S are turned downward. the cams are caused to depress the slides 2?. so that the hooks 2li exert clamping pressure on diametrieally opposite portions of the Cover 13. and when the lever arms are turned upward. the hooks release the cover.

The heads ot the studs 2.5 Confine the slides Q3 against the holders. so that the slides swing;V sidewise with the holders to locate the hooks over and remove them trom the top ot the @fori-r. .\t the same time. the guides Q2 prevent the slides from swinging edgewise on the holders.

As shown by Figures 4. 5, and 6. each holder. slide. and cover lever is made from a single metal plate. the only added parts heine' the studs 25. which may be secured to the slides in any suitable manner.

The perimeter ot each Cani 26 is provided with a plurality ol flat tacos, each adapted to have an elongated bearing on the corresponilineP abutment Q0. and thereby retain the can; in various positions.

As shown by Figure 6. each cam has a flat face 30, arranged to bear on the corresponding abutment 20, when the lever arm 28 is turned downward, as shown by Figures l and Q. When the cam is in this position, the cover is fully closed and operatively sealed.

The cam also has two lat faces 31, either ot which may bear on the abutment, when the lever arni is turned to a position at right angles to that shown by Figures l and 2. When a tace 31 bears on the abutment, the cover is only partly closed, and not opera tively sealed.

In other words, the cover is securely held in position to eHect a partial seal, when the filled jar is beingl subjected to preliminary boiling heat. The partial seal allows the escape of steam and air from the After this eso-ape the lever arm Q8 is turned downward to the position shown by Figures l and 2, and the jar is completely sealed.

I claim:

l. A cover clamp comprising a ring adapted to encircle a jar below the mouth thereof, and below a downwardly facing' peripheral shoulder on the jar, a pair ol" holders hinged to the ringr at diametrically opposite portions thereof, each holder including a hinge member engaged with the ring, a cam abutment at the swinging end of the holder, a longitudinal slot between said hinge member and abutment, and slide guides at opposite edges of the holder; a pair of slides movable on the arms between said guides, and provided with hooks, formed to bear on the top of the cover, and with studs extending through, and movable in, the holder slots, and a pair of levers includingv cams eecentrically mounted on said studs` and bearing on said abutinents, and arms projecting from the cams, the arrangement being euch that when the lever arms are turned downward, the cams are caused to depress the slides, so that their hooks exert clamping pressure on diametrically opposite portions of the cover top, and when the lever arms are turned upward, the hooks release the covera the holders and slides being' adapted to swing sidewisc toward and from the cover, and the guides preventing the slides trom swinging edgewise on the holders.

2. A cover clamp as specified by claim l, each cam beingl provided with a plurality ot tlat faces, one arranged to bear on the abutment when the cover is fully closed. while another is arranged to bear on the abutment when the cover is partly closed.

In testimony whereof l have athxed my signature.

ARTH UR M. AXLDRICH. 

